


Life after bay

by ItsMeMaxine



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Dead People, Depression, Dreams and Nightmares, F/F, Five Stages of Grief, Grief/Mourning, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Mild Blood, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Multiple Endings, Nerdiness, Post-Save Arcadia Bay Ending, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Technobabble, Time Travel, Vegetarians & Vegans
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-18 15:15:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29611353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsMeMaxine/pseuds/ItsMeMaxine
Summary: After Chloe's death Max tries to find a reason to go on with life. Can Kate and Warren save her in their own special way?
Relationships: David Madsen/Joyce Price, Maxine "Max" Caulfield & Kate Marsh, Maxine "Max" Caulfield/Chloe Price, Maxine "Max" Caulfield/Kate Marsh, Rachel Amber/Chloe Price
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	1. The end

**Author's Note:**

> I began this story months ago and couldn't go on for several reasons. Now i post the first few chapters and see if its resonates with you readers. Please give a hint. I will eventually go on and already have some ideas. But as always: me having autism and ADD sometimes makes it special :) So stay tuned and thanks for reading.

She kneels beside her and looks into her deep blue eyes their expression a mixture between surprise and agony.

„Maximus?“

Max tries to get hold of her hands but there is so much blood…

_Oh my god, what have i done?_

„Yes, i am here Chloe...“, her voice breaking.

As she looks back up into Chloe‘s eyes they are slightly off staring into infinity with a puzzled look.

_Oh no, is she already gone?_

„Are you a fucking angel?“

Max almost bursts out into a laugh that stucks in her throat.

_Thats so Chloe, even swearing in the face of death, or is she already hallucinating?_

„Dad, Rach?“

_She thinks we are the three riders of apocalypse coming to take her with us…_

„Chloe, i am so sorry...“, she stammers.

_All the memories of last week… there are only mine…_

Chloe seems to realize that Max is real.

„You finally made it, my Supergirl“, she smiles and coughs some blood.

_Please, please there needs to be a good ending to this._

„I need to tell you so much“, she sputters.

Chloe is taking Max‘s hand drawing her closer to her with a final determination on her face.

_Why i have never told you my feelings before?_

„I know, i always knew...“, she tries to continue but her breath is getting hollow.

_WTF, this must be some kind of cheesy romcon or is she dreaming?_

With one last super human like effort Chloe manages to kiss Max.

_No, dont‘t leave me, not now, please, i swear i will fix everything, i will never be a coward again…_

The last thing she remembers before the big blackness spreads everywhere is a non human sounding cry that tears her world apart.


	2. Denial

_ Where am I?  _

Max tries to open her eyes and manages to look around in the darkened unfamiliar room.

_ Is this a hospital? Why am i here? And why i am lying here? Where is Chloe? Fuck, fuck, she must be here somewhere, possibly in ER. I need to get to her. _

Max is sitting upright too fast, leaving her a little bit spindizzy, finally realizing that she is attached to a monitor and IV. This and the fact she is only wearing a patient gown doesn‘t hold her back from getting up and trying to find the exit.

_ She needs me, together we will fix this again, there has to be a solution, i am fucking master of time, ain‘t i? _

As she stumbles forward in the darkness taking the rolling IV with her the alarm of the monitor goes off when the patches rip off her skin. Grunting she doesn‘t stop until she bumps into an object which makes a shrieking sound leaving Max frozen in her steps. 

_ What the hell was that? Is this a freaking nightmare? Like the one i had after the dark room and all the shit that happened there? _

„Max?“

She almost jumps as she recognizes the voice.

„Mum?“

Her mother switches on a little light for reading at the table she is sitting at showing her red eyes and unnatural position where she must have been fallen asleep. 

_ How long have i been passed out? Why is she here? Where is dad? Why has she cried so much? _

A nurse is rushing in seeing Max and her mother. Throwing a strict look at Max leading her back to the bed, adjusting the patches and leaving them with a sharp reminder for Max to stay in bed. 

„Mum, why are you here? Where is dad? Is Chloe fine? What happened?“

Vanessa Caulfield clumsily stands up and slowly comes over to Max bed. 

She takes a seat at the side of Max and avoids to look in her direction. 

„Max, i, i...“, her voice is breaking and she starts crying.

_ No, no, nooo, don‘t tell me, no this can‘t be true, noooooooooo. _

„Mum, please, please, tell me the truth… is, is she….“, Max tries to begin.

Her mother is finally taking out a tissue and wipes away the tears.

„She, Chloe, she, they tried everything, this girl, i think her name is Kate, she even donated blood because she has type 0 negative...“, she quickly recounts like she is reliving the incident in realtime again. 

_ Oh Kate, my angel, you would give everything just to help someone, and i, what have i done?  _

„ Everything was going so fast, they tried to stop the bleeding, but, but, they couldn‘t...“, she starts sobbing again.

Max face goes all numb and expressionless. She looks like she isn‘t attached to her body anymore, as if she is in coma but with still open, dead looking eyes.

_ Why did i fail? I am so useless. All these fucking last days and in the end?  _

Mechanically Max is brushing over her mothers hair and is trying to comfort her. She is staring emotionless into infinity like Chloe a few hours before.


	3. Anger

„What now, you motherfucker? The rich kid is frightened? Boohooooo, no big daddy or mama around with their money and lawyers? Hahaahahaaa, now YOU will die alone and noone will miss YOU, you drug dealer and murderer!“

Chloes voice sounds too shrill and almost hysterical. Max couldn‘t believe her eyes. Nathan is tightly strapped to a chair in the dark room. He is gagged and breathing heavily trying to say something, but it seems like no sound is escaping his mouth. Chloe stands before him with her back to Max. She blocks her view, so Max is not able to see what she is doing to Nathan. As Chloe turns around with a now empty syringe in her hand, she laughs in a devilish voice: 

„Now you gotta eat your own dogfood!“ 

Max tries to scream and stop Chloe but couldn‘t move an inch. She now recognizes that she is also bound to a chair. There is a voice behind her exclaiming in anger: „You dumbass, i told you to use only a small dose.“ Out of the corner of her eye she is noticing Mark Jefferson pulling a gun and pointing it at Chloe. In hyper slow-motion she sees the bullet flying towards Chloe. Max tries to reach out with her hand to rewind time but isn‘t able to get her hands free nor stop time. She screams as the bullet…

A knock on the door wakes her up leaving her for a moment unoriented. She is sweating all over and her eyes are swollen. Her hair is a mess and she seems to wear clothes that don‘t belong to her at all. 

_ What the heck? Was this a nightmare, a flash-back or an alternate timeline?  _

The knock on the door gets louder and a hushed concerned voice says:

„Hello? Max? Are you, o… i mean err, awake?“

She tries to answer but her totured vocal chords only manage to produce a croak. 

_ Why i‘m not in hospital anymore? Have i been screaming in reality? Is this Kate? _

Kate seems to be irritated and scared by the sounds coming from behind the door and tries to ask again:

„Max? I, i am here and i have something to eat and drink for you.“

_ OMG, how long have i been here in my dorm? Why don‘t i remember anything? Where is, where is Chloe?  _

Max tries to reply:  „Uhhh, Kate thanks, i have to get dressed first. Just a moment.“

She grabs some pieces from her cupboard and puts them carelessly on throwing the unknown clothes into the laundry basket. As she sways to the door she almost screams again as she sees herself in the mirror. Even Warren would be afraid of her looking scarier than anything in cannibal holocaust. She opens the door and almost knocks over Kate standing behind the door. 

„Umm, sorry Kate. Oh, thats nice of you.“ 

Now Max realizes that Kate herself doesn‘t look the way she used to. She is almost looking like a nun but dressed completely in black. It seems like she even wears dark makeup which Max never has seen at her let alone imagening that she buys it. She holds up a small bag with some rolls and sweets in it. 

"Do you wanna come over eat breakfast and have some tea?"

Kate's look is so full of warmth and care despite her contradicting outfit that Max involuntary has to smile a bit. She nods only silently and sneaks over to Kates room. Here she is greeted by some well known odours she already get to know and like over the last months. Some fresh brewed tea with cinnamon and herbs and carrots for Kate's bunny Alice. There is a small tray already prepared with cereals, marmelade and cutlery. Max takes a seat at the small table. Kate is busy distributing the rolls and croissant. She pours Max a cup of tea. Kate looks a little bit irritated and frightened as she glances over to Max as she also takes a seat. 

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

_ What? What is she talking about? Is she gone Goth now? What is going on here? She is so sweet and nice, but this time its almost unbearable. _

Max tries to prepare a reply as her  gaze wanders over to Kate's desk where her laptop is still open with a news webpage headline stating 'School shooting in Blackwell’  and goes on ‚Suspect is accusing teacher of toturing and killing his own students . Victim is expelled scholar and drug addict.‘

Suddenly time seems to stand still and Max is not able to move or say anything. It is like the end from mornings nightmare, but this time there is no wakeup call. 

_ Nooooo, how could i even forget? Am i loosing my mind? How could i even explain this to Kate or what happened? Get a fucking grip Caulfield and focus! _

Kate looks even more irritated as Max face goes completely white when she spots the newspage on the laptop.

The next thing Max remembers is lying on the bed hugged by Kate and screaming and swearing like she'd never thought possible. 


	4. Bargaining part 1

There is a light dancing in the darkness. It looks like a firefly but it was too big and too bright. She shields her eyes against the stinging light which seem to come flying directly towards her. Now she see what it is: its a torch carried by some person. The light illuminates a prominent part of the face before her. A blue feather. Max tries to speak but she is not able to get out a word. Rachel smiles sadly and a shadow from behind comes nearer into the light. Finally its hugging Rachel from behind and resembles besides her arm in arm. Both Rachel and Chloe now smile tenderly into Max direction and wave goodbye as they seem to be carried away by some super natural force leaving Max floating alone in the darkness.

_Nooo, don’t leave me again… At least they are together again… Oh no Rachel, nobody knows about her fate yet… And Kate, where is Kate? Jesus, how could she again forget about what Kate’s gonna do!  
  
_

She hears some subdued whispering thru the slightly open door. Slowly she gets up still not fully dressed and creeps to the door to peek thru into the hallway of the dorm. She sees Kate, Victoria, Dana and Juliet talking in hushed but exaggerated voices.

„This creepo Jefferson, i knew it….“

„But i cant believe it that Nathan accused Mr. Jefferson and that they both had this bunker where they…“

„You heard that of Rachel?“

„What?“

„She was found…“

„Good lord, no….“

„She was probably killed by…“

Max silently stepps back to the still set table and sits down. She exhales deeply.

_Oh my Kate, you even bought the vegan croissants for me thats so sweet…._

Her stomach rumbles and despite the fact that she feels sick and nauseated Max manages to drink some cold tea and eats some croissants with marmelade. Outside the crowd seem to dissolve now and everyone goes back to their rooms. Kate shrieks a little as she comes out of the light, seeing Max only as a dark shadow sitting at the table.

„Sorry Kate, its me Max.“

„Good grievous, have you heard it?“

Max can only nod and seems to be lost in her thoughts.

„Did, did you know Rachel?“

„Hmm… no, not at all“, she bit her tongue as she thought about this crazy week with Chloe searching for Rachel, „Only saw the missing person posters everywhere.“

„I never thought this is possible in this kind of institution with this reputation….“

Kate seems to loose focus as she sighs deeply and joins Max at the table. Max seem to regain her strength a little bit as she remembers vividly Kate on the roof of the…

„Kate, i know this must sound strange, but i have to tell you something really important.“

Kate looks sad and a little irritated but looks up into Max eyes.

„I have lost an old friend with Chloe and, and…“, tears floating down her cheeks, „and i dont’t wanna make the same mistake again in not caring for a good friend…“

She impusively hugs Kate who seems to be a little overwhelmed and shocked by Max reaction and then slightly returns the hug from Max.

„Thanks Max, but you are caring for me already. But now you are the one who needs help.“

_Thats so Kate, she always is taking herself behind everyone else… Like you didn’t do it yourself… Always trying to fix the world… Never thinking about yourself… Stop!_

Max is taking Kates hand into her own hands and tries to look into her dark shadowed eyes.

„I am here for you and we all can work it out together, you are not alone and i can talk to your family if you want to and…“, Max blubbers and Kate is firmly taking Max hands and leads her to bed.

„Thanks Max, you should rest now, i know how it feels when you lost someone important…“

Max feels so empty and powerless that she completely let go and follows Kates caring efforts in bringing her to bed. She even gives Max her teddybear Captain and covers her with some blankets. Max snuggles into the blanket hugging Captain and cries herself to sleep while Kate sits besides her and sings a lullaby song. Max half asleep reminds this of her mother when she sung songs to her soothing her when she was ill as a little kid.  
  


–--

„Max, are you sleeping?“

„Yes, you dummy“

„I am cerial, its okay, when you feel shitty. If you let me, i would have done things to these scum bags…“

„Uhmm, i dont want that you get in trouble“ _(for me…)_

„Hey, you are my one and only favourite 1st mate“

„Ha ha, you would be better off without me, not slowing you down“

„Never, never say that again, or i will have you walk the plank or better give you this – tickle attack!!“

„Arhhh, no no thats unfair, hhahahaha, you know my deepest weaknesses, please , hahahaa, i surrender!!“

\---  
  


_O_ _h my Chloe, why oh why i needed so long to understand and why did i_ _left_ _you alone…_

It seems to be in the middle of the night and everyone is asleep except her and…

_Oh no, where is Kate? No, no, please you are really useless Maxine Caulfield!_

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: i do not promote or are affiliated in any way with any of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross work, statements or theories. i am just using some of the common terms used when going through grieving.
> 
> Tnx to Olyaroo for reading this at an early stage.


End file.
